Large sized debris which enters the intake of a jet engine may have disastrous consequences, including engine damage, functional engine destruction, and, if all or most engines become non-functional, emergency termination of a flight. This is what occurred on Jan. 15, 2009 with a flight out of LaGuardia Airport which made an emergency landing in the Hudson River after both of its engines failed: The source of damage was a flock of birds some of which entered the air intake of the engines, and rendered both engines non-functional.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,346 to Wooding discloses an intake duct for a jet engine which is not retractable. The engine intake extension of the invention is long and expected to be aerodynamically very demanding.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 433,029 to Eidson comprises an non-retractable cowl. Because it is non-retractable, it will exert aerodynamic inefficiencies throughout a flight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,612 to Li discloses a cleaning system which is intended to be useful for jet engine intake. However, the device is not retractable, and is not able to provide jet air intake without very substantial aerodynamic limitation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,137,535; 5,102,375 and 5,139,464 all relate to mechanisms for extending a telescoping antenna.
The subject matter of these prior U.S. patents is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention herein discusses methods and apparatus for preventing birds and other debris from doing damage to a jet engine using a deployable/retractable apparatus with acceptable aerodynamic features.